Button blank slicing and grinding machine



Sept. 16, 1941. w. E. KNOTT BUTTON BLANK SLICING AND GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 16, 1941 w. E. KNOTT BUTTON BLANK SLICING AND GRINDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 15, 1940- Sept. 16, 1941. w KNQTT 2,256,146

' BUTTON BLANK SLICING AND GRINDING MACHINE Filed June 15, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 F .6. o l /li9 o I o I o glwC/lvtm JOQMQMZ.MNI1

Patented Sept. 16, 1941 BUTTON BLANK SLICING AND GRINDENG MACHINE Warren E. Knott, Federalsburg, Ma.

Application June 15, 1940, Serial No. 340,825

15 Claims. Q

My invention is a novel machine for slicing and grinding short lengths of pearl out from shells by means of tubular saws in the usual manner to form button blanks, said lengths being irregular but usually somewhat greater than the thickness of a plurality (three or four) offinished buttons, said'short lengths being operated on by the machine to slice same into sections each.

forming a button blank of substantially standard size suitable for subsequent operation thereon in a button finishing machine.

The principal object of my invention is to provide a novel and efficient machine whereby the short lengths may be fed by an operator into peripheral pockets in a rotatable blank carrying disk, which disk carries same around to and past a gang saw rotatably mounted in the machine, which saw severs the short lengths into button blanks of desired size, whereupon the severed blanks are discharged from the machine.

A further object of my invention isto provide a machine of the above type in which the blank carryingdisk'may be readily swung aside as a ing of the grinding tool in place of the gang saw in the machine, or vice versa.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical section through the blank carrying disk and the associated grinding tool.

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing the strap for retaining the blanks in the recesses of the blank carrying wheel, and to hold the blanks from rotating, when usingthe gang saw.

Fig. 6 is a plan view similar to Fig. 5 showing a modified strap used to hold the blanks in the blank carrying wheel and to hold the blanks from rotating, when the grinding tool is mounted in the machine.

As shown, the machine preferably comprises a frame consisting of base I having uprights 2, 3, 4 and 5 at the corners thereof connected at their upper ends by horizontal members 6, 1, 8 and 9, and by intermediate horizontal members It), H, l2 and I3, spaced from and parallel with the 'upper frame members 6 to 9. Preferably uprights unit from the gang saw, and said saw replaced by a tool having spaced grinding wheels which.

cooperate with the blank carrying disk to grind the end faces of the sliced sections in places substantially normal to the longitudinal axes of the blanks, said grinding attachment being particularly adapted for use in event the end faces of 1' the short lengths to be sliced are not initially substantially normal to the axes thereof prior to the, slicing operation, but the end faces are irregular to a degree which would interfere with the proper finishing of the sliced sections in a;

button finishing machine.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to I the accompanying drawings which illustrate several practical embodiments thereof to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same, and will summarize in the claims, the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the machine arranged to slice the short lengths of pearl into sections forming button blanks.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line 2-2, Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a reduced plan View of the disk end of the machine, showing the supplemental frame which carries the button disk swung laterally of the main frame of the machine to permit mount- 3 and 4 at the rear'end of the frame are spaced closer together than uprights 2 and 5 at thefront end thereof.

Frame member I at the front end of the frame is provided with an inward horizontal extension Ia disposed midway between uprights 2 and 5 and provided with a bearing lb for a verticalv shaft I4'which carries the gang saw or grinding tool hereinafter described. Frame member ll below member I is similarly provided with an extension Ha carrying a bearing lib receiving the lower end of shaft [4, a collar Ma being provided on said shaft engaging the underside of extension Ia to prevent axial movement of said shaft in its bearings. On shaft I4 is removably mounted a head 32 above bearing 11) carrying a circular gang saw Which in the embodiment shown in Fig. 2 consists of two spaced circular saws 33 and 34 of thin metal (about .015 of an inch in thickness). Frame member 9 at the rear end of the frame is provided with a bearing 90 for a vertical shaft l5 having a collar I511. thereon engaging the upper end of the bearing, and fixedly secured to the lower end of shaft I5 is a beveled gear lfi'having its hub engaging the lower end of bearing 9a to prevent axial movement of shaft l5 in said bearings.

At the upper ends of shafts l4 and I5 are belt pulleys 2| and 22 or the like respectively around which runs a belt 23. Beveled gear l6 meshes with a beveled gear I! on a horizontal shaft [8 mounted in brackets l9 and 20 extending upwardly from the frame member [3 disposed below frame member 8. On shaft I8 is a belt pulley 24 opposite a pulley 25 on the shaft'of an electric motor 26 mounted on an arm [3a projecting from the frame member I 3 at the rear end of the machine, a belt 21 running around pulleys" 24 and 25, whereby when motor 26 is actuated the shaft I4 of the gang saw or grinding tool will be rotated at a rapid rate (about 7,000 R. P. M.)

owing to the arrangement and sizes of pulleys and gears. Any other convenient-source-of power might be substituted for the electric motor 26.

7 On shaft l8, adjacent upright 3, is a worm 28 meshing with a worm gear- 29 extending upwardly through an opening in frame member l3, said worm being mounted upon a shaft '-30-journaled in brackets Ida, and lfib extending from the frame member IB, collars 30a and 30bon. shaft 36 maintaining same against axial movement. Shaft 30 is thus also rotated by motor26,

butat a much reduced speed (about %,R; P. M.) owing to the interposed Worm and gear connections between the shafts l8 and #30. :shaft.;:3n terminates within the fr'ameof themachineand carries on its inner-end ahead-3| having anon- 3 -circular socket 3la therein forithepurposeherel inafter described.

Horizontallydisposed at the front end of-the 'f-rame isa plate'35 of substantially circular shape and of diameter substantially-equal 'to'ithat of the blank carrying disk:hereinafterreferre'dto, i the -upper face of plate 35 being spaced I below i the lower saw 3Q- -a distancerapproximat'ely equal toltheldis tahce between 'theaspacedsaws 33 and 9:34; Plate 35lhas-.an-axially disposed-bearing 36 I depending from its underside adapted toreceive aeshaftntlu-which:rotates the blank carrying. disk .seatedsuponithertop f plate 35.

: Extcn'dinglaterally' from the underside of :plate :sho'wn lin.:Fig. :2. Directly below the arms :36

1 and 37 is a second set of arms 38 andi39. extendn1ing1from thellowerzendof plate; extension-:36. and -45 s alsothaving-splitzclamps at?v their outer-ends likewise embracing-the .uprightsrZ and1'5, said arms 'spre'ferably: resting upon'thez top of frame member ll disposed directly below ,iframe (member 1,

hands-34. "When however the split; clamps engag ingneupright; such as .5, are; removed: and the jrsplit clamps engaging the :other" upright fZ are lQQsened; plate'35iand :theiele'ments carriedthere- 55 rby -m-ay-be swung laterally of themain frame as for the purpose hereinafter flower; disk. 41 contacts directly ;with v the top-"of plate 1-35. In the periphery of. the'l'disk carry- Iing head at, 4!, 42 is an=-upper slot 46a (Fig. 2)

adapted Ito -receivegthe upper --.circularsaw 33, 1 and a: lowerg-slot-MJZia-adapted to receive the-lower mcircular, saw: 34, which saws enter said slots for: a depth gexeeeding fthe diameters ;.of ;the :button ablanksjB cast clearly indicated in "Figs. 51 rand 2.

For .convenience of: .manufacture, the slots J 40a eand g lubrmay be.formed'in.the;upper..and lower j .i35. are.';arms 36: an'd131, I having split clamps 136a ;.and ifilaxat their :outer ends adapted to em- --br.ace..'the-uprights 2'. and:5 of thefiframe respeo 1 etively, ;..as,.shown .in Fig. saidi'brackets prefer- EfibIYII'GStmgTUDDHT the. taper 'frame member." I as faces of the'intermediate disk 40 before the members ll, 42 and 43 are secured together. The upper face of the upper disk 42 of the head is spaced from the upper face of the upper saw 33 a distance approximately equal to the distance between the spaced saws 33 and 34;

In'order to impart rotation to the blank carrying head 49, Al, 42, a worm gear. 55 is mounted .on, thelower. end of shaft. 3 1..withitshub engaging the lower end of bearing:3'8, said worm gear being disposed in the horizontal plane of the .shaft said gear 55 meshing with a worm 56 mounted on a horizontal shaft 51 journaled in .bracketslfiil vand15$l extending from the lower arm '33 (Fig. 2) of plate 35, said shaft 51 being in axial alignment with shaft 30 and carrying collarstfl and'fil'to prevent axial movement thereofiinqitspbearings. .The end of shaft 51 adjacent head..3l has a non-circular portion 51a directly engaging the non-circular recess 3la in head 33!, whereby shaft when in normal position -.willzibevdri-vcn directlyib shaftesn. eBythezabove --arrangement however, @when the plate 135, :and the';e;lements ;carried thereby, are swung away .fromithe maingframe of the machine,,as indicated in Eigr 3, shaft s5l will1be swungaway; from the shaft e3t and1 the nonecircular; portions S'Iaiand ta. of said :shaft members will merely; pass out of engagement during .theswinging f movement. -When however the .partse-ar-e' restored to normal position, shown in Fig.=l,'- the parts.-will reassume .the; positions shown inssaid figure.

' In the-periphery of the button carrying ihead ,t,=4l,- 42, is a-series of closely.adjacentsubstan- (tially cir-cul-ar recesses 3411c: of diameter slightly greaterthan thatof the pearl bl-ankssaid recesscs extending :more -.than 180 -in arcuate length. When the fblanks -B (Fig. s 2), which are -.-appr.oximately equal .in. length :to 1 the com? 4 bined thicknessof 11the=head-4lip4l 42,.are in- -serteds in: the. recesses =4 30 I by the operator as,;the head .40, 41,42 is revolving, -.the 1 blanks wilLbe carriedr-arou-ndby rotation of the head sand enggagerlf by the :saws 33-and 34 which-will slice the blanks into three sections of; approximate equal a-thickness; the, operator being .seated at the-front end of the frame and placing-blanks from-a .bin (not shown) 7 into the rrecessesn ilic as the head v. revolves in-the direction of the arrow shown in Plate 351's cutr-away as at 35c (Fig.2) below the saws-.33- and 34 for the purposehereinafter described, .and in order to retain the .:button .blanks .B, firmly in their recesses 400 with their side walls .in direct-frictional contact with :the inner walls of said recessesAflc, a metalstrapdt 1 (Figs. 1, 2 and .5) is provided-flexed around the periphery of the blank carrying head-4ll, 4l,.42

1 -at the side adjacent the .saws- .33 and 34, said Sl'/I 3,p?h31Ving parallel slits tfiaand 4622 (Fig. 5) .therein to @permit thesaws33. and 34 .to pass .thereth-rough andenter the groovesllllaand b =inthe periphery of the headin order to. slice the blanks Bgheld in the recesses 400. ,As .shown,

strap 46 yieldably. engages -the exposed periphcries of the blanks B in their recesses liic as they come-into engagement therewith, the strap 46 having headsJl'l and 48 at its ends, said heads having bearings journaled on studs -i9 and 50 re- 'spectively'(Fig. 1) mounted on arms-5l and-52 extending laterally from the underside .of .the plate :35 and terminating adjacent the split :cla-mps 536a :and 31a, respectively. Springs '53 .zandi 54;, are :connected respectively with the arms 5| sand 5.2;and their respective; heads141. -and 43 tend to swing the heads so as to maintain a constant tension on band 46, as illustrated in Fig. 1. By the above construction, as the operator places the blanks B in the recesses 460 of the blank carrying head 46, 4|, 42, said blanks initially rest directly upon the underlying plate '33 and 34, the severed sections will subsequently be ejected from the recesses 400.

Slots 46a and 46b of strap 46 are of slightly greater width than the thickness of saws 33 and 34, and since the walls of said slots engage the upper and lower faces of the saws respectively, said slots will, to a large extent, prevent warping or flexing of the saws during cutting operation, thus permitting use of very thin saws without buckling. In order to further enhance the rigidity of the saws, a rigid arm 62 is provided secured by bolts 63, or the like, to frame member 6, said member having at its outer ends slots similar to slots 46a and 46b of strap 46 into which the peripheral portions of the saws 33 and 34 enter, the end of member 62 terminating adjacent the strap 46 and serving as an additional means to prevent warpage or flexing of the rapidly rotating saws 33 and 34 of thin material. When the saws 33 and 34 are being placed on or removed from shaft l4 however it is necessary to remove or to swing the member 62 out of engagement with the saws during such removal or replacement.

After slicing the short lengths B of pearl as above described by the saws 33 and 34, it sometimes occurs that certain of the end sections thus cut will have a face which is not substantially normal to the axis of the section owing to the nature of the shell, and such blanks or sections could not be successfully used in the subsequent blank finishing machine. It is therefore necessary to grind such irregular blanks or sections (which in practice are found to comprise only a small percentage of the sliced blanks) in the same machine, by merely substituting a grinding tool in place of the gang saw, and making slight further substitution of parts in the machine. For the purpose of effecting such changes, the split clamps of the arms of plate 35 are entirely removed from upright 5, while the split clamps which engage upright 2 are merely loosened, and plate 35 together with the elements carried thereby is swung bodily as indicated in Fig. 3 away from the front end of the frame to disengage the blank carrying head 46, 4|, 42 from the saws 33 and 34. The member 62 is then removed from frame member 6, and the collar Ma of shaft l4 loosened and the entire shaft I4 is disengaged from the machine for lifting vertically. The head 32 carrying the saws 33 and 34 is then removed from shaft l4, and a head 64 (Figs. 3 and 4) inserted in place thereof on said shaft, said hub carrying spaced grinding wheels 65 and 66 of substantially the same diameter as the saws 33 and 34, and the distance between the faces of the grinding wheels 65 and 66 being substantially equal to the normal thickness of the blank sections B previously cut by the saws 33 and 34 from the blank B. Shaft I4 with head 64 is then reinserted in the machine, the upper surface of the lower grinding wheel 66 being disposed at substantially the level of the upper surface of plate 35, and the plate with a modified strap 61 and head 66, is restored to normal position shown in Fig. 1. In place of strap 46 a strap 61 (Fig. 6) is inserted in the same manner as the strap 46, but in strap 61 the major portion thereof is of a thickness adapted to fit between the grinding wheels 65, 66. A blank carrying head 68 is also used in place of head 40, 41, 42, said head 68 being of less thickness than the normal thickness of the blank. section B (Fig. 4) and said head having series of blank holding recesses 68a therein (Figs. 3 and 4) similar to recesses a of head 46, 4|, 42,

whereby as the irregular blank sections B are placed in the recesses 68a by the operator (when the parts are in normal position), theblanks will be carried around the disk or head 68 held squarely against the inner walls of the recesses 68a by the strap 61, as they come into contact therewith, and the blanks B will thus be fed between the grinding Wheels 65, 66 whereby the irregular faces ofsaid blanks will be ground to the desired thickness and uniformity before being passed along to the button finishing machine. As previously stated, only a small portion of the sliced sections B of blanks B will require the above grinding treatment, and by slight alteration or substitution of parts, the same machine may be utilized to both slice and grind the blanks.

I do not consider my invention limited to the exact machine shown in the drawings, for obviously changes may be made therein withinthe scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine for operating on button blanks, a driven shaft; a rotatable tool mounted thereon; a disk-shaped head rotatably mounted adjacent the tool; means for rotating said head; the peripheral portions of said head and tool being normally disposed in overlapping relation; said head having recesses in its periphery each adapted to partly encircle a blank and tocarry same around to and past the said tool; and a stationary flexible band yieldingly contacting the periphery of the head and the exposed portions of the series of the blanks in way of the tool to hold the blanks in frictional contact with the walls of the recesses as same approach and are operated upon by the tool. 7

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said head being horizontally disposed; and a stationary member supporting said head and supporting the blanks in the recesses during rotation of the head.

3. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, said head being horizontally disposed; and a stationary member supporting said head and supporting the blanks in the recesses during rotation of the head, said member being cut away throughout the overlapping portions of the head and tool.

4. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, a support for said driven tool shaft; a frame carrying the head and the flexible band; means swingably mounting the frame on an axis parallel with and spaced from the axis of the tool for movement to and from an operative position with respect thereto; means for maintaining the frame in normal operative position; and said head rotating means comprising a rotatable member relatively fixedly journaled in the machine and provided with a non-circular socket; means for driving said rotatable member; a shaft section having non-circulan-end journaled v.in the swingable frame in alignment with said rotatable member-and of such dimensions-that thenom circular end will :enter-the non-circular socket when. the frame is swung to normal operative position; said non-circularend disengagingfrom the socket when the frame is swung out of nor- -mal;position; and means for rotating thehead .from'said shaft section.

saidtool; adisk-shaped head rotatably mounteda "on said plate; means-for rotating said head; the

peripheral portions of said head and tool being.

5.'In a machine, for operating on button. blanks, a driven shaft; a rotatable tool mounted thereon; a relatively fixed plate mounted beside normally disposed in overlapping relation; said head having parti-circular recesses. in'its periphg cry adapted'to partly encircle blanks supported upon the plate and to carry same aroundto and :past the said tool for operation thereon while .that the same will conform with the periphery. I of the head at the zone of the tool for contacting ,theablanks just prior to and during operation retained in the said recesses; and elongated arcuate means carried by thefixed plate extending past and engagingthe exposed portions of a series of blanks for holding the series in their respective recesses during operation thereonby said tool.

6. In a machine as set forth inclaim 5, said blank holding means comprising a flexible strap; andmeans for yieldably supportingthe strap so of the toolto hold-the same in said recesses.

7. Ina-machine as set forthin claim 5, said tool comprising spaced-circular saws, andsaid head having spaced peripheral grooves therein each adapted to receive a saw, the overlap of the-saws cuttingthrough the said-recesses; said blank holding means comprising afiexible strap yhaving spaced. slots therein for permitting the saws to .enter' the'peripheral grooves in the head; .andmeans forryieldably supporting the strap so that same will conform with-the peripheryof the head at-the zone of'the-tool for p contacting the blanks just prior to and-during operation;;of the tool'to hold the same in sai 3 recesses.

. 8. In a machine as setforthin claim 5, said tool comprising spaced circular saws-and said head. having spaced peripheral grooves therein the head .at the zone of the tool for contacting V the blanks just prior. to and during. operation of the tool to holdthe'same insaidrecesses.

9. .In a machine asset forth in claim 5, a sup- 1 portfor said driven tool shaft; a frame carrying the head and the flexible band; means'swingably 'mountingthe frame on an axis parallel with and lspacedfrom the axisqof the tool -for movement to and' from 'a operative position with respect thereto; 'means foramaintaining the frame in 1 normal operative position; 'andsaid head rotatjging means comprising-.a rotatable member relatively fixedly journaled in the machine and provided with a non:cii.fcular:socket; rmeansfor driving said rotatable member; --;ashaft section having a. non.-,c ircul ar ,end -journaled in the swingable frame in alignment with said rotatable membernandofsuch dimensions that the non- 5 c ircularrend-;wil1enter the non-circular socket when the frarr-ie is swung to .normal operative position; :said-non-circular end disengaging from the-socketwhen the frame is swung out of normal :-position; and means for rotating the head from 10 7 said; shaft section.

.10. .In :amachine for operating on circular wbuttonblanks; -;a -main frame; a drive shaft j urnaled therein; a driven shaft; ;means for Yactuating said ;.driven shaft by said drive shaft;

;.a cir-culartool mountedon said driven shaft;

.33, fixed plate mounted in the, frame adjacent said tool; a disk-shapedheadrotatablymounted on said plate; means for; driving said head, from ;said drive shaftythe peripheral portions of said head and tool being disposed inoverlapping -rela- 7 'tion, and said headhaving an annular series of circular recessesgin the periphery of less than "360arcuate length adapted to receive blanks supported-on;the plate and carry same around torandpast the tool'for operation thereon while retained in the said recesses; and elongated arcuatemeans carried-by-the fixedaplate extending past and engaging the exposed portions of a'sSeI'i6S0f blanks for holding'the seriesin their respective-recesses during operation thereon by the'tool. a

11. In a;machine.as set forth in'claim 10,

said z'blank holding-means comprising-a flexible strap; andmeansyfor yieldably supporting the strap so that same -will conform with the :pe-

ripheryof the head-at the :zoneof the toolfor contacting the blanks just :prior to and during operation of theitool to hold same in said recesses. V 1

12. -In =a machine as set "forth in claim 10, said tool comprisinga circular gang saw, and said jhead having spaced peripheral grooves therein each'adapted-yto receive a sawof the gang; the'overlap-of-the saws and head cutting through "the said recesses; said blank holdingr-rneans comprising agflexible strap having spaced slots therein for ;permitting"the sawsto enter pthe'peripheral groovesin the-head; and means}for-'yieldably-supporting thestrap so that -same will'conformwith theperiphery of the headat the 'zone'of thetool-for contacting the blanks just prior to'and during operation of'the tool to? hold -same. in said recesses.

1-3.1Ina machine as set forthin claim 10, said tool comprising a circular" gang saw, and. said head having spaced peripheral grooves therein each-adapted to receive "a saw of the gang; the overlap of the saws-and head cutting through the said recesses, and isaid blankholding means 0 comprising;aflexiblestrap'having spaced slots therein *forpermitting :the saws to enter the peripheral grooves in the'head; a 'member on the-frame having spaced slots therein receiving-the saws of theggang, the-walls of 'the slots in the strap and ffi-Xedmember engaging the faces ofthe-saws'to-preve'nt warpage thereof; and means for yieldabiy supporting the-strap :so that same will conform with the periphery of ,theheadat the zone of the tool for contacting the blanks justaprior-to' and during operation 0f the tool to hold same in-said recesses.-

14.:In a machine-"asset=forth-in claim 10,'-a support forsaid driven. toolsshaft; a sub-frame v carrying the plate having the rotatablezhead-and carrying the elongated arcuate -means; -means swingably mounting the sub-frame on an axis parallel with and spaced from the axis of the tool for movement to and from an operative position with respect thereto; means for maintaining the sub-frame in normal operative position; and said head rotating means comprising a rotatable member relatively fixedly journaled in the machine and provided with a non-circular socket; means for driving said rotatable member; a shaft section having a non-circu ar end journaled in the sub-frame in alignment with said rotatable member and of such dimensions that the non-circular end will enter the non-circular socket when the sub-frame is swung to normal operative position; said noncircular end disengaging from the socket when the sub-frame is swung out of normal position; and means for rotating the head from said shaft section.

15. In a machine for operating on button blanks, a main frame; a driven shaft journaled in said frame; a circular tool mounted on said shaft; a plate mounted on said frame adjacent said tool; a blank carrying head rotatably mounted on said plate and adapted to carry blanks around to and past the tool for operation thereon by said tool; a sub-frame carrying the plate and head; means swingably mounting the sub-frame on the main frame and on an axis parallel with and spaced from the axis of the tool for movement to and from an operative position with respect thereto; a rotatable member relatively fixedly journaled in the main frame and provided with a non-circular socket; means for rotating said rotatable member; a shaft section having a non-circular end journaled in the sub-frame in alignment with the rotatable member and of such dimensions that the non-circular end will enter the non-circular socket when the sub-frame is swung to normal operative position; said non-circular end disengaging from the socket when the sub-frame is swung out of normal position; and means for rotating the head from the said shaft section.

WARREN E. KNOTT. 

